SOURCE: "Heroes in Black, Not White," in The New York Times, June 15, 1994, pp. C1, C8.

In the following excerpt, Lyall reviews Mosley's life and career through the publication of Black Betty.

Walter Mosley describes Los Angeles so precisely in his detective novels that it is a surprise to learn that he hasn't lived here in years. His descriptions are drawn partly from childhood memories, partly from his parents' stories and partly from the occasional consultation of street maps.

"L.A. is not my city," says Mr. Mosley, who lives in New York with his wife, Joy Kellman, a dancer. "It's not for living, I don't like to drive. In my neighborhood in New York, there's a little old lady who's lived in the same building for 70 years; next door is Charles Kuralt; next door are some yuppies, and next door is Roy Lichtenstein. And people walk in the...